Quite a number of practice games were played on Thursday afternoon and evening. We had fourteen practice rounds going at one time. Many players got in two rounds in practice for the main event.

We were located in the first row in the Dark Room. It was quite spacious with plenty of room for both players and spectators with excellent visibility to the rest of the wargaming community. Moreover, there was plenty of space between tables allowing a player to easily walk to the other side of the table when necessary. Happens more often than one might think. Lighting was more than adequate. HMGS East turned down the lights at our request as the added heat was not worth the extra light. The weather was very hot and humid and we really appreciated the better temperature conditions in the Dark Room as well as the lesser crowding.

Both HMGS and NASAMW were very considerate of us with representatives of both stopping in from time to time to make sure that things were running smoothly. As a result of their observations, we received extra water coolers and more conveniently located trash bins.

Dawn and Leam Hall furnished snacks, bottled water, and soft drinks on both days including fresh fruit and Vegan compatible snacks. Without their help, the tournament might not have happened. I forgot to pack screens and Dawn and Leam as well as Bob Stewart and Bob Ross went to Wal-Mart and bought new screens just for this event.

Play went very smoothly through all five rounds with the only questions requiring clarification being evades over skirmishers, blocks in archery, and one that I forget. Oh yes, reserve moves.

The draw on the first round was random with the proviso that regular opponents were not matched. The draw in the second and third rounds was random with the proviso that one was not required to play a previous opponent and efforts were made to insure that regular opponents did not play each other.

At the start of the fourth round, the four players with the best records were selected for the semi-final single elimination finishing rounds. There were four players with three and zero records: Tom Hazlett, Peter Suwak, Chris Boland, and Stephen Herndon. Due to several players dropping out, the numbers become uneven and Stephen Herndon dropped out permitting Vincent Auger to play in the semi-finals. To his credit, Steve Metheringham volunteered to drop out to permit Stephen Herndon to play but Merkits are dead keen hosts.

Tom Hazlett played Chris Boland and Vincent Auger played Peter Suwak in the semifinal round with Tom and Peter advancing. In the final round, Tom beat Peter rather handily. The top four results are as follows to the sound of Country Roads:

1. Tom Hazlett
2. Peter Suwak
3. Chris Boland
4. Vincent Auger

Intermediate bracket results are as follows:

5. Karsten Gould
6. Steve Metheringham
7. Craig Tannock
8. Leam Hall
9. James Morris
10. William Clark
11. Ben Checota
12. James Ross
13. Bob Ross
14. Bob Stewart
15. Ken Board
16. Allen Devore
17. Chris Cosentino
18. Kevin Reagan
19. Ian Lipner
20. John Sinderquist
21. Rob Jones
22. Jim Hanson
23.Bruce McParland
24. Chris Southard

I did not score Stephen Herndon as I dropped out to make the numbers even or Dawn Hall as she played too few games. Moreover, I used an army that did not conform to the lists when playing Meth the Merciful. About four players only played one game each and did not return their cards to me. All that I recall is that two were from Canada including one from Hamilton, Ontario and two were from Mid-America.
All four swore hat they would return for the full competition next year but had booked events with competing times this year as they did not know of the tournament.

The usual awards were presented with the first two places receiving nice C.C. Doble plaques.

Rob Jones received the Fortune's Favorite award for worst dice for reportedly rolling 58 rolls at +1 and getting a grand total of three hits.

Craig "Tercio" Tannock played two straight five hour games and Chris Boland played several equally long games to split the Pokey Puppy Award for slowest players. Craig is now known as Pokey from Vegas Tannock.

Chris Boland was made a Knight Commander of the Peter M. Suwak Order of the Plucked Chicken to resounding ritual clucking by all present with Chris performing a good natured Funky Chicken dance from the sixties. Chris received the reward for a career of picking low initiative armies and hiding in corners.

By a quirk of fate, Chris also received an award of Brass Balls for his 2001 victory commanding A2 Saxons making him the only known chicken with brass balls. Leam Hall also received Brass Balls for his career selection of choosing low Initiative, low FV armies and consistently going on the offense with less than forlorn hopes.

Peter Suwak won a nicely painted diorama depicting the Never Victorious Galatian general kneeling before a Roman centurion who was beating him with a vine stick.

I would like to thank all who attended for contributing to that reputation and making the tournament a fun event.